Nonvolatile memory cell, operating method of the same and nonvolatile memory array

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile memory cell and/or array and a method of operating the same high integrated density nonvolatile memory cell enabling high integration density, low voltage programming and/or high speed programming, a method of programming same and a nonvolatile memory array. 
     A p-well  101  is formed in a surface of a substrate  10  and a channel forming semiconductor region  110  is defined in a surface of the p-well  101  and separated by a first n +  region  121  and a second n +  region  122 . A carrier-supplying portion (CS: carrier supply)  111  is formed coming into contact with the first n +  region  121  and a carrier-acceleration-injection portion  112  (AI: acceleration and injection) is in contact with the second n +  region  122  in the channel forming semiconductor region  110  wherein the carrier-supplying portion  111  and carrier-acceleration-injection portion  112  are in contact with each other.

This is a division of patent application Ser. No. 09/595,059, filingdate Jun. 16, 2000, Now U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,293 NONVOLATILE MEMORY CELL,OPERATING METHOD OF THE SAME AND NONVOLATILE MEMORY ARRAY, assigned tothe same assignee as the present invention, which claims the benefit ofProvisional application Ser. No. 60/158,966, filed Oct. 12, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile memory cell, anonvolatile memory array and a method of operating the same, and moreparticularly to a nonvolatile memory cell and/or array and a method ofoperating the same enabling high integration density, low voltageprogramming and/or high speed programming.

A MNOS memory is one of typical semiconductor memories wherein carriercharge is stored in a gate insulator to have information nonvolatilelystored. The MNOS memory is of a laminated structure comprising aconductive gate (M), a silicon nitride film (N), a tunnel oxide film (O)and a semiconductor wherein the carrier (electron or hole) is capturedat a trapping level in the silicon nitride film to store the carriercharge. In this step, the silicon nitride film of the MNOS memory wasrequired to be more than 19 nm in thickness since the charge trappingefficiency depended on the carrier capture distance in the siliconnitride film (Document 1: F. L. Hampton and J. R. Cricchi “Space chargedistribution limitation of scale down of MNOS devices”, 1979 IEDMTechnical Digest, p. 374).

To program (write or erase) the MNOS memory, at least more than 10V orabout 20V as a normal value of programming voltage was required for aelectric field to be fed to a semiconductor surface via the siliconnitride film so that a carrier may be injected in the nitride filmthrough (via a tunnel) the tunnel oxide film. Also, a MONOS memory isdisclosed as the nonvolatile memory capable of reducing the programmingvoltage (Document 2: E. Suzuki, H. Hiraishi, K. Ishii and Y. Hayashi, “ALow-Voltage Alterable EEPROM with Metal-Oxide-nitride-Oxide andsemiconductor (MONOS) Structures”, IEEE Transaction on Electron Devices,Vol. ED-30, February 1983, p. 122). This MONOS memory is of a laminatedstructure comprising a conductive gate (M), a top oxide film (O), asilicon nitride film (N), a tunnel oxide film (O) and semiconductor.This structure has enabled the MONOS memory to stop hopping via thecarrier trapping level in the silicon nitride film due to a potentialbarrier formed between the nitride film and the top oxide film, whichresulted in making the nitride film as thin as possible. Further,carrier traps newly generated at the interface between the top oxidefilm and nitride film has enlarged a memory window to the extent it ispossible to identify the stored information even if the entire insulatorthickness is made thinner.

This MONOS memory has made it possible to reduce the programming voltagedown to 9V with the usable programming speed (0.1 msec) under thecondition that the stored information is maintained for ten years(Document 3: T. Nozaki, T. Tanaka, Y. Kijiya, E. Kinoshita, T. Tsuchiyaand Y. Hayashi, “Al-Mb EEPROM with MONOS Memory Cell for SemiconductorDisk Application”, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol.26, No.4,April, 1991, p.497). It has yet to be disclosed, however, whether or notit is possible to reduce a programming voltage to be less than 9V underthe condition that the programming speed is less than 0.1 msec andmemory retention characteristics are maintained. To achieve theprogramming voltage of less than 9V, either programming speed or memorystorage characteristics or both were required to be sacrificed.

Disclosed is a technology to integrate a single transistor cell with asingle gate (to be connected to a word line) in the form of an array toimprove integration density which is more excellent than that disclosedin the Document 3 as described above. However, since it was required tosupply electrical potential to not only a drain region but also a sourceregion so as not to write in an unselected cell which results inseparately connecting both drain and source regions to a bit linedirection, it was impossible to improve the integration density even ifa single gate structured single transistor cell is used therein.(Document 4: I. Fujiwara, H. Aozasa, A. Nakamura, Y. Komatsu, and Y.Hayashi, “0.13 μm MONOS single transistor memory cell with separatedsource”, 1998 IEDM Technical Digest, 36.7, p995-998, FIG. 2 & 11).

When integrating a single gate cell in the form of an array to read thestored information, there is deterioration of memory retentioncharacteristics called “read disturb” since electrical potential forreading the stored information is to be supplied to a gate.

To prevent the deterioration of the retention characteristics asdescribed above and to keep the stored information well trapped even inthe state of electrical potential being supplied to a gate, it wasrequired to increase the thickness of the above-indicated tunnel oxidefilm from 2.0 nm to 2.7 nm. To make as minimal as possible theprogramming speed deterioration due to the increase of a tunnel oxidefilm thickness, it was necessary to increase programming voltage from 9Vto 12 V.

Meanwhile, disclosed is technology of ballistic carrier injection for afloating gate memory cell which is intended to enable reduction ofprogramming voltage and increase of programming speed (Document 5: S.Ogura, A. Hori, J. Kato, M. Yamanaka, S. Odanaka, H. Fujimoto, K.Akamatsu, T. Ogura, M. Komiya and H. Kotani, “Low voltage, Low current,High speed Program Step Split Gate Cell with Ballistic Direct Injectionfor EEPROM/Flash”, 1998 IEDM Technical Digest, 36.5, p.987-990). Theballistic carrier injection as described above has such a configurationthat formed in the form of a step in a surface of a semiconductorsubstrate is a thin drain region through which a hot carrier isballistically transported to a floating gate and the floating gate isdisposed to cover the step portion. This improves the injectionefficiency since the speed component in the carrier transport directioncontributes to generating energy for the carrier injection.

However, the carrier injection and discharge of a conventional MONOSnonvolatile memory are carried out in an entire surface of a channelforming a semiconductor region beneath a gate insulator in which carriercharge trapping function is incorporated and it was not known from thecarrier injection in a floating gate memory cell whether or not currentor voltage sensed at time of reading the memory cell was controlled bythe carrier□ charge in the gate insulator trapped by local carrierinjection in source/drain directions in a channel forming semiconductorregion. Neither was it possible to clearly read that the carrier chargeinjected through the above-mentioned thin drain resulted in changingcurrent and voltage in the conventional MONOS nonvolatile memory.

With respect to a conventional floating gate memory, it is liable tocause defective bits if even one location of a gate insulator is foundto be defective which results in deteriorating the memory retentioncharacteristics of an entire cell. In addition, the ratio of the totalcapacitance of a floating gate to the capacitance between a control gateand floating gate decreases as a memory structure becomes fine. Toeliminate the disadvantage as described above, it was required to adoptsuch a structure as to increase the overlapped area between the controlgate and floating gate and further, there was no choice but to increasea number of manufacturing process steps and cell area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a purpose of the present invention to resolve problems in theconventional technology and provide a nonvolatile memory cell which isnot only capable of programming with lower voltage but also has a remotepossibility of causing defective bits and has fewer manufacturingprocess steps compared to a conventional floating gate memory; a methodof using the same and a nonvolatile memory array.

To achieve the purpose as described above, the present invention isprovided with the means featured below:

A nonvolatile memory cell wherein first and second impurity regions ofopposite conductivity type are formed in a main surface of a substrateand separated therebetween by a channel forming semiconductor region ofone conductivity type in the main surface of the substrate and a gateelectrode is formed on a gate insulator on the channel formingsemiconductor region, carriers being injected and stored in a carriertrapping means of the gate insulator further comprising:

(a) provided is an acceleration-electrical potential supplying means toselectively supply the acceleration-electrical potential to one out ofthe first and second impurity regions at one side;

(b) the channel forming semiconductor region includes acarrier-supplying portion and carrier-acceleration-injection portiondisposed along the carrier transport direction;

(c) the carrier-supplying portion supplies to thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion carriers supplied by the otherone out of the first and second impurity regions at the other side; and

□□ (d) the carrier-acceleration-injection portion makes local injectionof carriers supplied from the carrier-supplying portion into the gateinsulator in the vicinity of the adjacent other one out of first andsecond impurity regions at one side to which the accelerated electricalpotential is supplied: and

(e) the gate insulator is provided with at least a carrier chargetrapping means in a projecting area of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion.

According to the features as described above, a space charge region isextended from a second impurity region to acarrier-acceleration-injection portion by electric field due toelectrical potential supplied to a second impurity region. Out ofcarriers supplied to the carrier-acceleration-injection portion, energyis supplied by the electrical potential difference in the space chargeregion to a carrier which is moved as far as near the interface with thesecond impurity region without being affected by lattice scattering andthe aforesaid carrier is injected, that is, locally injected in a verynarrow region of the carrier charge trapping means getting over apotential barrier formed at the interface with the gate insulator.

More particularly, it is possible to supply to a carrier energy gettingover the potential barrier V_(B) between a gate insulator andcarrier-acceleration injection portion with the distance three times themean free path of a high energy carrier by disposing acarrier-acceleration-injection portion in a channel formingsemiconductor region. The shorter the distance within which energy issupplied to a carrier (and which generates electrical potentialdifference of V_(B)), the more the carrier number getting over theelectrical potential increases. However, as the distance becomesshorter, probability of a carrier tunneling increases due to highelectric field and the lower limit of the distance is determined as avalue (near to the aforementioned three times the mean free path of ahigh energy carrier) to prevent the useless current increase due to theincrease of the carrier tunneling. If the distance within which theenergy is supplied to the carrier (which generates the electricalpotential difference of V_(B)) exceeds fourteen times the mean free pathof the high energy carrier, the injection efficiency is almost the sameas that of the conventional channel hot electron injection.

Meanwhile, it is possible to read the information trapped in a cell bydetecting a cell current or cell threshold voltage even if a carriercharge is not trapped in an entire region of a gate insulator havingcarrier charge trapping function. For example, it is possible to readthe information if the carrier charge is trapped in a length (to thedirection connecting a first impurity region and second impurity region)of the gate insulator which is more than 20 nm long out of gateinsulators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an equivalent circuit of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit configuration for a memory array in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a thirdembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an equivalent circuit of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG.4.

FIG. 6 shows a circuit configuration (First embodiment) for a memoryarray in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 shows a circuit configuration (Second embodiment) for a memoryarray in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a signal waveform illustration showing a programming andreading method for a memory array in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 shows a circuit configuration (Third embodiment) for a memoryarray in FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 shows a circuit configuration (Fourth embodiment) for a memoryarray in FIG. 4.

FIG. 11 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a fourthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a fifthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a sixthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a seventhembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows an equivalent circuit of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG.14.

FIG. 16 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a eighthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a ninthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a tenthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a eleventhembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a twelfthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is an illustration showing a carrier injection in an embodimentof the present invention in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is an illustration showing the carrier injection by aflat-surfaced carrier-acceleration-injection region technology.

FIG. 23 is an illustration showing a circuit configuration (Firstembodiment) of a memory cell in FIG. 20.

FIG. 24 is an illustration showing a circuit configuration (Secondembodiment) of a memory cell in FIG. 20.

FIG. 25 is a signal waveform illustration showing a method ofprogramming a memory cell in FIG. 20.

FIG. 26 is a signal waveform illustration showing a method of reading amemory cell in FIG. 20.

FIG. 27 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (First embodiment) of it.

FIG. 28 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (Second embodiment) of it.

FIG. 29 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (Third embodiment) of it.

FIG. 30 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (fourth embodiment) of it.

FIG. 31 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (Fifth embodiment) of it.

FIG. 32 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing, a manufacturing method (Sixth embodiment) of it.

FIG. 33 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (Seventh embodiment) of it.

FIG. 34 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 20showing a manufacturing method (Eighth embodiment) of it.

FIG. 35 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a secondembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The detailed description of the present invention is now provided belowin reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a section of anonvolatile memory cell in a first embodiment of the present inventionand FIG. 2, an equivalent circuit thereto.

A p-well 101 is formed in a surface of a substrate 10 and a channelforming semiconductor region of one conductivity type 110 is defined ina surface of the p-well 101 and separated by a first n⁺ region 121(first impurity region of opposite conductivity type) (source/drainregion: SD1) and a second n⁺ region 122 (second impurity region ofopposite conductivity type) (source/drain region: SD2). The channelforming semiconductor region 110 is a semiconductor region in a surfaceof which a channel is electrically induced and faded away and whichcomprises a surface of a semiconductor substrate itself or a wellsurface portion formed in a surface of a semiconductor substrate or asemiconductor thin film (SOI) formed on an insulating support substrate,etc. Thus, used as the substrate 10 are an SOI substrate and the likeformed in a semiconductor substrate or main surface thereof.

A carrier-supplying portion (CS: carrier supply) 111 is formed cominginto contact with the first n⁺ region 121 and acarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 (Al: acceleration andinjection) is in contact with the second n⁺ region 122 in said channelforming semiconductor region 110 wherein the carrier-supplying portion111 and carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 are in contact witheach other.

The carrier-supplying portion 111 functions as a carrier path to supplya carrier supplied from the first n⁺ region 121 to the channel formingsemiconductor region 110 to the carrier-acceleration-injection portion112 through channels therein or in a surface thereof.

As described in detail hereinafter below, thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 makes local injection of acarrier to which energy is supplied adjacent to the interface with thesecond n⁺ region 122 in a very narrow region of a gate insulator 132.

The gate insulator 132 is formed to cover each opposite end surface ofthe first and second n⁺ regions 121 and 122 and the channel formingsemiconductor region 110, and a gate electrode 140 is formed on the gateinsulator 132 to bridge each n⁺ region 121 and n⁺ region 122.

The gate insulator 132 is of a three-layer structure having a carriertrapping means. A first layer 132 a on the channel forming semiconductorregion 110 is preferably made from silicon oxide film (O) or siliconnitrided oxide film (ON), etc. forming a potential barrier at theinterface with the channel forming semiconductor region 110.

A second layer 132 b is preferably made from a silicon nitride film (N)or tantalum oxide film (T). It is also recommended that particulates oflower energy gap material such as TiN and the like, or of conductivematerial be buried in the silicon nitride film to improve the trappingprobability of the injected carrier (electron). In addition, it isdesirable that the film thickness of the silicon nitride film be lessthan 10 nm to enable programming with low voltage, but it is confirmedthat carrier trapping is possible with even 4 nm. The silicon nitridefilm for the second layer 132 b may contain a smaller quantity of oxygenin atomic percent compared to the silicon nitrided oxide film for thefirst layer 132 a and third layer 132 c (In this case as well as thecase where particulates are buried in the silicon nitride films, asilicon nitride film for the second layer is designated as siliconnitride film (N) to differentiate the silicon nitride film for thesecond layer from that of the first and third layer in this embodiment.)

The third layer 132 c beneath a gate electrode□ (140) is preferably madefrom a silicon oxide film (O) or silicon nitrided oxide film (ON) andthe film thickness for both films is preferably more than 2 nm. Acarrier charge is captured and trapped by a carrier trap level or trapsite (carrier charge trapping function) formed within the second layer132 b or at the interface with the second layer 132 b and third layer132 c.

It is possible to carry out the low voltage programming if the firstlayer 132 a is comprised of a silicon oxide film with thickness of 3-4nm or silicon nitrided oxide film and the third layer 132 c comprises anoxide film with thickness of 2-4 nm or a silicon nitrided oxide film.Additionally, this makes the carrier tunnel probability of the thirdlayer 132 c higher than that of the first layer 132 a and it is thuspossible to make the electrical potential to be applied to the gateelectrode 140 at the time of programming (programming electricalpotential) and the electrical potential to be applied to the gateelectrode 140 at the time of erasing (erasing electrical potential) tobe the same polarity.

It is generally required to supply to a gate electrode electricalpotential whose polarity is different depending on when programming anderasing are carried out. That is, if a carrier is assumed to beelectron, a positive electrical potential is applied to the electrode140 at the time of programming and a negative electrical potential issupplied to the electrode 140 at the time of erasing. However,additional circuit technology is required to generate the highelectrical potential with different polarities in LSI which results inincreasing the manufacturing cost. To this end, the present inventionachieves carrier injection (programming) and extraction (erase) only bysupplying to the gate electrode 140 the electrical potential with thesame polarity and different level.

In the step as described above, if a silicon oxide film is used for thefirst layer 132 a and a silicon nitrided oxide film is adopted for thethird layer 132 c, a potential barrier between the second layer 132 band third layer 132 c viewed from the second layer 132 b against thesilicon nitrided oxide film is low and thus, the carrier tunnelprobability across the third layer 132 c becomes larger than the carriertunnel probability across the first layer 132 a even if the filmthickness thereof is the same. It is also possible to make the thicknessof the third layer 132 c thinner than that of the first layer 132 a ifthe silicon nitrided oxide film is used for each layer.

Combinations of material for a three-layer structure (first layer/secondlayer/third layer) can be designated such as O/N/O, ON/N/O, ON/N/ON,O/N/ON, O/T/O, ON/T/O, ON/T/ON AND O/T/ON.

If the length of the gate electrode 140 is 0.25-0.35 micro-meter, it ispreferable that the impurity concentration of a carrier-supplyingportion (p-type) be about 2E17 atm/cm³, the impurity concentration of acarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112, about 1E18 atm/cm³ and thelength of the carrier-acceleration-injection portion be about 80 nm.

It is preferable that each n⁺ region 121 and 122 is furnished with eachn region 121 n and 122 n in contact with a channel forming semiconductorregion 110 whose length is 50-70 nm and whose impurity concentration is1-2E19 atm/cm³ and the impurity concentration of the n⁺ regions otherthan the n regions 121 n and 122 n, is about 1E21 atm/cm³. The gateelectrode 140 preferably comprises n-type polycrystal silicon or atwo-layer structure of polysilicon and silicide (tungsten silicide,titanium silicide and cobalt silicide, etc.).

Next, a principle of operation disclosed in an embodiment of the presentinvention is now described below. When the predeterminedacceleration-electrical potential (more than V_(B)−2φ_(F2), which isdescribed below) is supplied to the n⁺ region 122, the electricalpotential difference more than the potential barrier V_(B) to the gateinsulator 132 is formed in a surface of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion and energy capable of gettingover the electrical potential V_(B) is supplied to carriers in partwhich pass the portion (space charge region). A carrier is generallytransported to the direction of n⁺ region 122 and the carrier which isscattered by lattice scattering to the direction of a carrier chargetrapping means arrives at the carrier charge trapping means to betrapped getting over the potential barrier.

Meanwhile, in order to supply to many carriers energy more than theequivalent of the electrical potential V_(B), it is required to form anelectrical potential difference exceeding the electrical potential V_(B)within the short length in the carrier-acceleration injection portion.However, this means that high electric field is required to be formed ina semiconductor. And, it is not possible to make shorter than about 30nm the length to form the electrical potential difference correspondingto the potential barrier between silicon and a silicon oxide film,taking into account that the direct tunneling is started with theelectric field of 1E6V/cm if silicon is used. Considering that a meanfree path Lo for a high energy carrier is about 10 nm and said highelectric field is formed on the portion corresponding to the length of3Lo,out of the accelerated carriers, a carrier to be given the energycapable of getting over the potential barrier V_(B) is obtained at theratio of exp(−3Lo/Lo)=1/20. This is an adequately large value in view ofthe fact that the injection efficiency of a conventional channel hotelectron is 1E-8.

If the probability (estimated to be in the order of {fraction (1/100)})of the direction change caused by lattice scattering is considered to beincluded in the value indicated above, it does not provide an advantageto the technology disclosed in the present invention compared to theconventional CHE technology unless the length covering a portion of theelectrical potential difference is within 14Lo[exp(−14Lo/Lo)=1E-6]. Theimpurity concentration with which it is possible to generate anelectrical potential difference corresponding to the electricalpotential barrier V_(B) is more than 2E17 atm/cm³ with the length lessthan that indicated above.

Meanwhile, the impurity concentration with which it is possible togenerate the electrical potential difference V_(B) within a length of3Lo is 3-4E 18 atm/cm³. The length which a carrier is trapped to acharge trapping means is of the order of 10 nm to the direction ofconnecting two n⁺ regions 121 and 122.

However, there is a small probability that the direction of a carrier towhich energy is supplied is changed by lattice scattering and that suchcarrier is injected in the charge trapping means. As described in detailhereinafter below relating to other embodiments of the presentinvention, this enables higher speed writing if a surface step isdisposed in a carrier moving direction in acarrier-acceleration-injection portion and the carrier which changes nodirection is directly injected in a carrier trapping means of a gateinsulator.

Next, a method of programming and erasing disclosed in an embodiment ofthe present invention is now described hereinafter below. Examplesrelating to a voltage supply at the time of programming are as follows.

(1) Supplied to the second n⁺ region 122 is the voltage of more thanV_(B)−2φ_(F2)□V_(B): electrical potential barrier formed between thegate insulator 132 and channel forming semiconductor region 110, φ_(F2):a Fermi-level in a channel forming semiconductor region 110□, e.g. 4.0V.

This acceleration-electrical potential supply extends a space chargeregion from the second n⁺ region to the carrier-acceleration-injectionportion 112. As a result, energy capable of getting over a potentialbarrier V_(B) formed at the interface with the gate insulator 132 issupplied by an electrical potential difference in the space chargeregion to the carrier which is supplied from the carrier-supplyingportion 111 to the carrier-acceleration injection-portion and which ismoved to the adjacent interface with the second n⁺ region 122.

(2) An electrical potential less than (V_(B)−2φ_(F2)), e.g. 2.2V, issupplied to the first n⁺ region 121.

(3) An electrical potential which is higher than a gate thresholdvoltage, e.g. 3.3V, is supplied to the gate electrode 140.

As a result, it is possible to move the carrier to the second n⁺ region122 when a space charge region (carrier path) is formed in a surface ofthe carrier-supplying portion 111 beneath the gate electrode 140 and thecarrier is supplied from the first n⁺ region 121 to thecarrier-supplying portion.

(4) A carrier is not injected into a carrier charge trapping means (ingate insulator 132) unless an electrical potential change is made to thefirst n⁺ region 121. If the electrical potential less than 1.8V issupplied to the first n⁺ region 121, the carrier is supplied from thefirst n⁺ region 121 to the carrier-supplying portion 111 and furthermoved to the carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112. Out of carriersmoved to the carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112, a carrier movedto the adjacent interface with the second n⁺ region 122 without beingaffected by lattice scattering is provided with energy and locallyinjected in a very narrow region of the carrier charge trapping means bygetting over the potential barrier.

In the step as described above, it is possible to store the multivalueinformation responsive to the supplied electrical potential if theelectrical potential to be supplied to the first n⁺ region 121 iscontrolled in such a manner as to use a variety of voltages such as 0V,0.6V and 1.2V and thus, the carrier supply quantity changes. Theinformation, of course, may be stored in the form of a two-value using0V.

The order of making an electrical potential in each region to return tothe standby position (e.g. 0V) is conducted in the order of gateelectrode 140, first n⁺ region 121 and second n⁺ region 122.

To erase the information (extraction of the trapped carrier), thetrapped carrier is extracted to the gate electrode 140 by making eachvoltage for the first and second n⁺ regions 121 and 122 to be 0V and bysupplying e.g. 9-10V to the gate electrode 140. The extraction of theexcessive quantity of carrier may probably make the gate thresholdvoltage to be that of the depletion mode.

In the step as described above, there is a possibility that the leakagecurrent is flowed from unselected memory cells to bit lines, if a memoryarray to be hereinafter described is comprised of a memory celldisclosed in the present invention. To resolve the problem as describedabove, it is required not to make higher the gate voltage for extractinga carrier or it is necessary to extract the trapped carrier until thedetected threshold voltage reaches the predetermined value by repeatinga step that the gate threshold voltage is detected and the carrier isthen extracted.

When reading the stored information, e.g. 2.0V which is less than theelectrical potential (V_(B)−2φ_(F2)) is supplied to the first n⁺ region121, e.g. 0V to the second n⁺ region 122 and e.g. 2.0V to the gateelectrode to detect the current which is flowed in the first n⁺ region121. In this step, it is judged to be “0” if, for example, such currentas the leaked current is flowed therein and “1” (in the case oftwo-value storage), if the current more than a microampere unit isflowed therein.

It is possible to make carrier injection even if the impurityconcentration in the carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 is thesame as that of the carrier-supplying portion 111 although the carrierinjection efficiency is deteriorated. The carrier-acceleration injectionportion 112 is defined as a space charge region to be formed in thechannel forming semiconductor region 110 by supplying the electricalpotential to the second n⁺ region 122.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 35, it is possible to inject and trap a carrier charge in a gateinsulator 132 on the channel forming semiconductor region of oneconductivity type at a side of the first nt region (first impurityregion of opposite conductivity type) 121 if a (first)carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 a is formed at a side of thefirst n ⁺ region 121 and if the electrical potential supplying conditionon the second n⁺ region (second impurity region of opposite conductivitytype) 122 and first nt region 121 is made reversed. In the foregoingcase, the carrier-supplying portion 111 is disposed in the channelforming semiconductor region 110 and sandwiched by the firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 a and the (second)carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112. The first and secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portions 112 a and 112 are generallycomprised of the same impurity distribution.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the high densityintegration is achievable since two storage sites can be made in onegate electrode 140.

However, when reading the carrier charge information trapped in a gateinsulator on the first carrier-acceleration injection portion 112 a, aspace charge layer is made to extend from the second n⁺ region 122 tothe channel forming semiconductor region 110 (part of the secondcarrier-acceleration injection portion 112) below a part of the gateinsulator trapping the carrier charge supplied from the secondcarrier-acceleration injection portion 112.

If the condition as indicated above is satisfied, it is possible to readthe information trapped in the gate insulator 132 on the firstcarrier-acceleration injection portion 112 a without being substantiallyaffected by the information trapped in the gate insulator on the secondcarrier-acceleration injection portion 112. For example, if electricalpotential to be supplied to the second n⁺ region 122 is assumed to be1.2V to “read” carrier charge, the impurity concentration in the secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 is required to be less than2E18 atm/cm³. To read the carrier charge trapped in the gate insulatoron the second carrier-acceleration-injection portion 112, a control ofelectrical potential contrary to the foregoing is conducted.

Meanwhile, in order to form a memory array by integrating the aforesaidmemory cell, a gate electrode 140(G) of each memory cell adjacent to thedirection of a column is connected to a same word line Lw(i); a first n⁺region 121(SD1) of each memory cell adjacent to the direction of a rowis connected to a same bit line L_(B)(i) and a second n⁺ region 12(SD2)of each memory cell adjacent to the direction of a column is connectedto a same common line L_(c)(i).

Programming, erasing and reading of information stored in the arrays asdescribed above are possible by changing the cell operation for aselected cell from (1) a gate electrode 140 to a word line L_(W)(i), (2)a second n⁺ region 122 to a common line L_(C)(i), and (3) a first n⁺region 121 to a bit line L_(B)(i).

In addition, it is possible to form a second array by connecting a gateelectrode 140 to a word line L_(W)(i), a second n⁺ region 122 to a bitline L_(B)(i) and a first n⁺ region 121 to a common line L_(C)(i).Programming and erasing the second array are possible by changing thecell operation for the selected cell from (1) a gate electrode 140 to aword line L_(W)(i), (2) a first n⁺ region 121 to a common line L_(C)(i)and (3) a second n⁺ region 122 to a bit line L_(B)(i).

When reading the information stored in the array, electrical potentialof the bit line L_(B)(i) is detected by supplying the electricalpotential less than (V_(B)−2φ_(F2)), e.g. 2V to the common line L_(C)(i)and e.g. 3V to the word line L_(W)(i). If a carrier is trapped in acarrier trapping means (in a gate insulator 132), the output electricalpotential is so small as to be nearly zero. When the electron trapped inthe carrier trapping means is small in quantity or zero, the outputelectrical potential becomes nearly 2V which is the same as that of thecommon line L_(C)(i).

According to an embodiment disclosed in the present invention, it ispossible to provide a nonvolatile memory cell which is not only of asingle-gate one-transistor cell structure but also enables highefficiency injection and high density integration since local carrierinjection is made from the channel forming semiconductor region 110(carrier-acceleration injection portion) to the gate insulator 132.

Next, described is a memory cell according to a third embodiment of thepresent invention in reference to FIG. 4 showing a section of a memorycell and FIG. 5 showing an equivalent circuit thereof.

The simple structure disclosed in the first and second embodiments hasprovided an advantage in terms of manufacturing technology. However, itis required to resolve a problem of a leakage current to be caused atthe time of reading information which is associated with the aforesaidexcessive erasing as far as the first and second embodiments areconcerned. Furthermore, it is difficult to optimize the injectionefficiency if the current to supply a carrier from the n⁺ region 121 tothe channel forming semiconductor region 110 at the time of programmingis made small.

According to the third embodiment of the present invention, each gateelectrode (and gate insulator) is independently formed over acarrier-supplying portion 111 and carrier-acceleration-injection portion112 which resulted in not only making the read current to be lessaffected by leakage current from unselected cells due to the excessiveerasing but also improving the injection efficiency at time ofprogramming.

A well (101) is formed in a surface of a substrate (10) and a first n⁺region SD, (121) and second n⁺ region SD₂(122) are formed at an intervalin a surface of the well (101).

A carrier-supplying portion (111) adjacent to the first n⁺ region (121)is formed in a channel forming region of one conductivity type betweenthe first n⁺ region (first impurity region of opposite conductivitytype) (121) and second n⁺ region (second impurity region of oppositeconductivity type) (122), and a carrier-acceleration-injection portion(112) is formed adjacent to the second n⁺ region (122).

A first gate electrode G₁ (141) is formed on a first gate insulator(131) on a surface of the carrier-supplying portion (111). A second gateelectrode G₂ (142) is formed on a second gate insulator (132) withcarrier charge trapping means on a surface of the carrier-accelerationinjection portion (112). The second gate electrode (142) and gateinsulation film (132) thereof are extended to cover part and end surfaceof the n⁺ region (122) side of the first gate electrode (141), and thefirst gate electrode (141) and second gate electrode (142) are insulatedby the second gate insulator (132).

As described above, an insulator to insulate the first gate electrode(141) and second gate electrode (142) may be separately formed asanother (third) insulation film depending on a method of manufacturingthereof without being restricted by the extended gate insulator.

The second gate insulator (132) with the carrier charge trapping meansis of a multilayer structure. Adopted in an embodiment of the presentinvention is a three-layer construction wherein a first layer (132 a)(silicon oxide layer[O] or silicon nitrided ixide layer[ON]); a secondlayer (132 b)(silicon nitride film layer[N], tantalum oxide film[T] orsilicon oxy-nitride film [ON] whose oxygen to nitrogen ratio is smallerthan that of the first and a third layer) and a third layer (132c)(silicon oxide film[O] or silicon nitrided oxide film [ON]) whichforms a potential barrier at the interface with the second gateelectrode (142) are laminated in that order.

With respect to the second layer of the second gate insulator (132), acarrier trapping level is formed at least at one location at theinterface with the first layer (132 a) or third layer (132 c) or withinthe second layer itself and captured is a carrier injected from thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion (112) to the second gateinsulator (132).

Next, described below is a principle of the operation regarding thememory cell as described above. According to an embodiment of thepresent invention, a carrier is first injected from the first n⁺ region(121) to the carrier-supplying portion (111). Further, the carrier isinjected from the carrier-acceleration injection portion (112) to thesecond gate insulator (132) overcoming the potential barriertherebetween. To inject a carrier from the first n⁺ region (121) to thechannel forming region (110), either of two conditions A and B below isrequired to be satisfied.

Condition A

A potential which is higher than the first gate threshold voltage(V_(th1)) in reference to the first n⁺ region (121) is applied to thefirst gate electrode (141), or a constant predetermined potential isapplied to the first electrode (141) and in a surface of the channelforming region under the first gate electrode (141), a channel isinduced by a potential of the first n⁺ region (121) which is lower thanthe value obtained by having the first gate electrode threshold voltage(V_(th1)) subtracted from the predetermined potential.

Condition B

The first n⁺ region (121) is forward-biased to a channel forming regionand minority carriers are injected in the channel forming region (MCinjection).

Furthermore, two conditions C and D below are required to be satisfiedsimultaneously in order to inject the carrier injected in thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion (112) via the carrier-supplyingportion (111) into the second gate insulator (132) getting over apotential barrier (V_(B)) between the carrier-acceleration-injectionportion (112) and second gate insulator (132) corresponding to the firstlayer (132 a).

Condition C

Supplied to the second n⁺ region (122) is electrical potential foracceleration more than (V_(B)−2φ_(F2)) based on the channel formingsemiconductor region.

Condition D

Supplied to the second gate electrode 142 is electrical potential forattracting a carrier more than (V_(B)−φ_(GB)) [φ_(GB): a work functiondifference between a gate material and channel forming semiconductorregion] with reference to the channel forming semiconductor region 110.

The electrical potential for attracting a carrier can be establishedindependently of the electrical potential in the aforesaid first gateelectrode and thus, it is possible to achieve high efficient carrierinjection into a carrier storage means by making larger the electricalpotential supplied to the second gate electrode 142 and making theelectrical potential of the first gate electrode to be as small as thegate threshold voltage for keeping a channel current to be small.

Based on the conditions as described above, a carrier is supplied fromthe first n⁺ region 121 to the carrier-supplying portion 111. Further,out of carriers moved to the carrier-acceleration-injection portion,supplied to a carrier which is moved to the adjacent interface with thesecond n⁺ region 122 and which is not affected by lattice scattering isenergy capable of getting over a potential barrier V_(B) by means ofinteraction between the electrical potential for attracting a carriersupplied to the second gate electrode 142 and the energy generated bythe acceleration-electrical potential supplied to the second n region122. As a result, the carrier is locally injected from part (theadjacent interface with the second n⁺ region 122) of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112 into the second gateinsulator 132 getting over the potential barrier V_(B) and locallystored viewed from a plane in the second gate insulator 132, furtherinjection is conducted around the portion in which the carrier isalready trapped.

Next, a carrier erase (extraction) mechanism in the memory cell isdescribed below. Since the three-layer structure is adopted in thesecond gate insulator (132) according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, two types of erase mechanisms below can be selectively used.

(a) First Erase Mechanism

A potential whose polarity is the same as that of the carrier charge isfed to the second gate electrode (142) and the carrier which is injectedand captured in the second gate insulator (132) is returned via tunnelto the channel forming region through the first layer (132 a) (Theaverage electric field required for this step is about 8 MV/cm). Toadopt this erase mechanism, a carrier tunnel probability of the firstlayer (132 a) is preferably predetermined to be higher than that of thethird layer (132 c).

More particularly, the thickness of the first layer (132 a) is madethinner than that of the third layer (132 c) if the material of eachpotential barrier layer (132 a) and (132 c) is the same. Adopted is suchmaterial combination that the barrier height between the first andsecond layer viewed from the second layer (132 b) to the carrier may belower than that between the second and third layers if each thicknessthereof is the same.

(b) Second Erase Mechanism

A potential whose polarity is different from that of the carrier chargeis fed to the second gate electrode (142) and the carrier which isinjected and captured in the second gate insulator (132) is extracted bytunnel-transferring the third layer (132 c). To adopt this erasemechanism, a carrier tunnel probability of the third layer (132 c) ispreferably predetermined to be higher than that of the first layer (132a).

More particularly, the thickness of the third layer (132 c) is madethinner than that of the first layer (132 a) if the material of eachpotential barrier layer is the same. Adopted is such materialcombination that the barrier height between the second and third layersviewed from the second layer (132 b) to the carrier may be lower thanthat between the first and second layers if each thickness thereof isthe same.

In order to adopt the first erase mechanism, it is required to supply tothe second gate electrode (142) the potential whose polarity changesdepending on the programming and erasing operation.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present invention, bothcarrier injection and extraction are possible only by supplying to thesecond gate electrode (142) the potential with the same polarity anddifferent levels if the second erase mechanism is specifically adopted.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second gateinsulator (132) is of a three-layer structure and the third layer (132c) as a potential barrier layer is disposed at the interface with thesecond gate electrode (142). This makes thinner the second layer (132 b)while keeping the carrier charge trapping function and enables thecarrier extraction to the gate side by the tunnel transition through thethird layer (132 c). However, if the potential to extract the carrier tothe gate side is applied to the second gate electrode (142), theelectric field caused by this potential is also effective to a carrierwithin the channel forming region.

In a conventional memory structure wherein the carrier injection fromthe channel forming region to the second gate insulator (132) isconducted by a tunnel transition, the probability of a carrier tunnelwithin an insulator (corresponding to the first layer 132 a in anembodiment of the present invention) formed on a surface of a channelforming region is predetermined to be high. This causes the simultaneoustunnel injection from the channel forming region to the second gateinsulator (132) and makes it substantially impossible to extract thecarrier from the second gate insulator (132).

Meanwhile, it is possible to make adequately low the probability of thecarrier tunnel across the first layer (132 a) (channel forming regionside) since the carrier injection from the channel forming region to thesecond gate insulator (132) is conducted not by tunnel transfer but byovercoming the potential barrier according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. Thus, it is possible to extract a number of injectedcarriers through the third layer (132 c) by reducing the tunnelinjection volume to the second gate insulator to be negligibly smalleven if the second gate electrode (142) is made to be in the highpotential.

In the case the second erase mechanism is adopted, a silicon oxide film(O) and silicon nitrided oxide film (ON), etc. are preferably used forthe first layer (132 a) and the thickness of each film is desired to bemore than 3 nm. Further, a silicon nitride film (N) and tantalum oxidefilm (T) are preferably used for the second layer (132 b) and thesilicon nitride film thickness is desirably less than 10 nm for the lowvoltage programming. However, it is confirmed that the programming ispossible even with 4 nm thick film.

The silicon nitride film of the second layer (132 b) may include asmaller volume of oxygen in atomic percent than that in the siliconnitrided oxide film used in the first and third layers. The thickness ofthe tantalum oxide is preferably less than 50 nm. It is recommended thatthe silicon oxide film (O) or the silicon nitrided oxide film (ON) beused for the third layer and the film thickness thereof be more than 2nm.

That is, combinations among the first, second and third layers of thesecond gate insulator can be designated such as O/N/O, ON/N/O, ON/N/ON,O/N/ON, O/T/O, ON/T/O, ON/T/ON AND O/T/ON.

It is possible to provide a memory cell which is programmable anderasable with low voltage and same polarity if the memory cell is sostructured that the first layer (132 a) is comprised of a silicon oxidefilm or a silicon nitrided oxide film with the film thickness of 3-4 nmand the third layer, a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitrided oxidefilm with the film thickness of 2-4 nm.

However, if a silicon oxide film is used for the first layer and asilicon nitrided oxide film is adopted for the third layer, the filmthickness of both layers may be the same. The reason for this is that apotential barrier between the second layer and the first layer viewedfrom the second layer against the silicon nitrided oxide film is low andthe carrier tunnel probability to the third layer becomes larger than apotential barrier between the second layer and the first layer even ifthe film thickness is the same. Also, it is possible to make thethickness of the third layer thinner than that of the first layer if thesilicon nitrided oxide film is used for each layer.

If the acceleration-electrical potential more than (V_(B)−2φ_(F2)) asspecified in condition C is supplied to the second n⁺ region 122 and aspace charge region is extended from the second n region 122 to thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 112, energy generated by anelectrical potential difference in this extended portion is supplied toa carrier in the carrier-acceleration-injection portion. The shorter thelength of the extended portion to which the energy is supplied, thelarger quantity of carriers obtain energy to get over the potentialbarrier V_(B). Thus, the impurity concentration of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion is preferably made higher whichis determined to be as high as 2E17-4E18 atm/cm³ according to anembodiment of the present invention.

□□ If the impurity concentration of the carrier-acceleration-injectionportion (112) is made to be higher than that of the carrier-supplyingportion (111), a punch-through voltage from the second n⁺ region(greater reverse bias is fed to the second n⁺ region than to the firstn⁺ region.) becomes smaller than that from the first n⁺ region ifvoltage is applied between the first and the second n⁺ regions (121,122).

Next, provided below is the description regarding a nonvolatile memoryarray so configured that the nonvolatile memory cell as described aboveis aligned in the form of a matrix. FIG. 6 shows an example of aconnection configuration of a first nonvolatile memory array.

A first n⁺ region SD₁ (121) of each memory cell on a same row isconnected by a bit line (L_(B)). A second n⁺ region SD₂ (122) of memorycells adjacent to the direction of a row is commonly connected andconnected to the direction of a column by a common line (L_(C)) A firstgate electrode G₁ (141) of each memory cell on a same column isconnected by a word line (L_(W)). A second gate electrode G₂ (142) ofeach memory cell on a same column is connected by a control line(L_(S)).

FIG. 7 shows a connection configuration of a second nonvolatile memoryarray. A first n⁺ region SD₁ (121) of each cell on a same row isconnected by the bit line (L_(B)). Each second n⁺ region SD₂ (122) ofthe memory cells adjacent to the direction of a row is connected andalso connected by a common line (L_(c)) in the direction of a column. Afirst gate electrode G₁ (141) of each memory cell on a same row isconnected by a word line (L_(W)). A second gate electrode G₂ (142) ofeach memory cell on a same row is connected by a control line (L_(S)).

FIG. 8 is a signal waveform illustration showing a method of programmingand reading a memory array in the first and second circuitconfigurations.

When programming (writing of information) the selected memory cell, achannel is induced in the surface of a carrier-supplying portion 111depending on the electrical potential of a bit line L_(B) by applying toa word line L_(W) an electrical potential V_(wp1) which is higher than agate threshold voltage V_(th1) of the first gate electrode 141.According to the condition C, the electrical potential which is higherthan the value (V_(B)−2φ_(F2)) is applied to a selected common lineL_(c)(n⁺ region 122) and applied to an unselected common line L_(c) isan adequate electrical potential including zero volt in the direction ofthe reverse bias which is lower than junction breakdown voltage, e.g.0V. According to the condition D, the electrical potential forattracting a carrier which is higher than (V_(B)−2φ_(GB)) is applied tothe selected control line L_(s) (second gate electrode 142) and appliedto an unselected control line L_(s) is such predetermined electricalpotential, e.g. 0V that the programming may not be caused by tunnelcurrent.

Applied in advance to a bit line (L_(B)) is a predetermined potential(V_(BPr)) which is higher than the value (V_(WPr1)−V_(th1)) obtained bysubtracting the threshold voltage (V_(th1)) from the potential(V_(WPr1)) to be fed to the word line (L_(W)). When programming a memoryarray, the potential (V_(BPr1)) which is higher than the differencevalue (V_(WPr1)−V_(th1)) or the potential (V_(BRr0)) which is lower thanthe difference value (V_(WPr1)−V_(th1)) is applied thereto depending onthe content of the data stored. In this step, it is possible to programinformation in the form of a multivalue if the applied potential(V_(BPr0)) to the bit line (L_(B)) is selected out of multi value asshown with broken lines.

Based on the program operation as described above, a carrier injectedfrom the first n⁺ region (121) to the carrier-supplying portion (111) islocally injected in the second layer (132 b) by getting over thepotential barrier between the carrier-acceleration-injection portion(112) and second gate insulator 132 (first layer 132 a) and thus, theinformation responsive to the potential applied to the bit line (L_(B))is stored in the form of nonvolatility.

When reading the data stored in the selected memory cell, the reversebias electrical potential V_(BRD) is applied to the bit line L_(B) ofthe memory cell and applied to the control line L_(s) is the electricalpotential V_(CRD) which is higher than the lower value out of theprogrammed gate threshold voltage V_(th2) of the second gate electrode142 and also, applied to the word line L_(W) is the electrical potentialV_(WRD) which is higher than the gate threshold voltage V_(th1) of thefirst gate electrode 141. In the state as described above, whether amemory cell is on or off, i.e. the data are stored in the memory cell isjudged by detecting the current (i_(WRD)) flowing in the bit line(L_(B)) by a sensing amplifier. The data judgment as described above maybe made not by directly detecting the current but by the discharge speed(potential change) of an electric charge which has charged the bit line.

However, the methods for configuring and programming a memory cell arenot limited to those described above, but may be modified as follows.

FIG. 9 is an illustration showing a third modified example of theconnection configuration. A first n⁺ region SD₁ (121) of memory cellsadjacent to the direction of a row is commonly connected and isconnected by a common line (L_(c)) to the direction of a column. Asecond n⁺ region SD₂ (122) of each memory cell in a row direction isconnected by a bit line (L_(B)). A first gate electrode G₁ (141) of eachmemory cell in a column direction is connected by a word line (L_(W)). Asecond gate electrode G₂ (142) of each memory cell in a column directionis connected by a control line (L_(S)).

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing a fourth modified example of aconnection configuration. A first n⁺ region SD₁ (121) of each memorycells adjacent to the direction of a row is commonly connected andconnected by a common line (L_(c)) to the direction of column. A secondn⁺ region SD₂ (122) of each memory cell in a row direction is connectedby a bit line (L_(B)). A first gate electrode (141) of each memory cellin a column direction is connected by a word line (L_(W)). A second gateelectrode (142) of each memory cell in a column direction is connectedby a control line (L_(S)).

FIG. 11 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a fourthembodiment of the present invention. The same symbols as those used inthe previous description represent the same or corresponding portionstherein.

According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, contrary tothe structure in a third embodiment of the present invention is thestructure that a first gate electrode (141) and gate insulator (131)thereof are superimposed with a second gate electrode and gate insulator(132) thereof at each end portion wherein the first gate electrode (141)and gate insulator (131) thereof are extended to cover a surface and endsurface at the first n⁺ region (121) side of the second gate electrode(142).

FIG. 12 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a fifthembodiment of the present invention. The same symbols as those used inthe previous description represent the same or corresponding portionstherein.

According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, first andsecond electrodes (141) and (142) are disposed by having a second gateinsulator (132) formed therebetween and are reciprocally insulated bythe second insulator (132).

In the first to the fourth embodiments of the present invention,provided previously was the description that the first and secondelectrodes (141) and (142) are insulated with a first insulator (131) ora second (132), but the insulation may be made with other (third)insulator. Or achieved may be multiple insulation in such a manner thatthe first gate insulator (131) or the second (132) is used, or thesecond (132) in combination with other insulation films.

As shown in FIG. 13 as a sixth embodiment of the present invention, inorder to reduce the coupling capacitance between the first gateelectrode (141) and second gate electrode (142) and improve a drivespeed, a nitride film (141 b) may be formed in advance on an uppersurface of the gate electrode (141) or an end surface of the gateelectrode (141) can be oxidized to form an oxide film (141 a) or asurface of a side-wall (not shown in accompanying drawings) as aninsulating material may be formed at a side surface of the gateelectrode (141) in place of an oxide film (141 b). It is possible toform the side-wall by uniformly forming an insulating layer on, e.g. amain surface of the substrate (10) and selectively removing theinsulator therefrom via an anisotropic etching method thereof.

FIG. 14 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a seventhembodiment of the present invention and FIG. 15, an equivalent circuitto a nonvolatile memory cell in FIG. 14. The same symbols as those usedin the previous description represent the same or corresponding portionstherein. A nonvolatile memory cell in a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention is featured in that the data corresponding to two bits can beindependently stored in a memory cell.

A well (101) is formed in a surface of the substrate (10) and a pair ofn regions SD₁ (221) and SD₂ (222) are formed at an interval in a surfaceof the well (101). In a channel forming semiconductor region of oneconductivity type (110) between each n regions (first impurity regionand second impurity region of opposite conductivity type) (221) and(222), are formed a carrier-supplying portion (211), and first andsecond carrier-acceleration-injection portions (212L) and (212R) alongthe channel direction. Each of the carrier-acceleration-injectionportions (212L) and (212R) is disposed adjacent to each n⁺ regions (221)and (222). The carrier-supplying portion (211) is disposed between thecarrier-acceleration-injection portions (212L) and (212R).

A first gate electrode G₁ (241) is formed on a first gate insulator(131) on a surface of the carrier-supplying portion (211). A first oneof a second gate electrode G₂₁ (242L) is formed on a first one of asecond gate insulator (132L) with charge storing means on a surface ofthe first carrier-acceleration injection portion (212L). The first oneof the second gate electrode (242L) and gate insulator (132L) thereofare extended to cover part and end surface of the first gate electrode(241) of the n⁺ region (221) side, and the first gate electrode (241)and the first one of the second gate electrode (242L) are insulated bythe first one of the second gate insulator (132L).

Likewise, a second one of a second gate electrode G₂₂ (242R) is formedon a second one of a second gate insulator (132R) with charge storingmeans on a surface of the second carrier-acceleration-injection portion(212R). The second one of the second gate electrode (242R) and gateinsulator (132R) are extended to cover part and end surface of the firstgate electrode (241), and the first gate electrode (241) and second oneof the second gate electrode (242R) are reciprocally insulated by thesecond one of the second gate insulator (132R).

According to the embodiment of the present invention, each of the secondgate insulators (132L) and (132R) is of a multilayer structure toachieve a low voltage programming and as described in each embodiment ofthe present invention, a first layer 132 a (silicon oxide layer[O] orsilicon nitrided oxide layer[ON]) forming a potential barrier at theinterface with the channel forming region; a second layer 132 b (siliconnitride film layer[N], tantalum oxide film[T] or silicon oxy-nitridefilm [ON]whose oxygen to nitrogen ratio is smaller than that of thefirst layer and third layer) and a third layer 132 c (silicon oxidefilm[O] or silicon nitrided oxide film [ON]) which forms potentialbarrier at the interface with the second gate electrode (142) arelaminated in their order.

However, if the low voltage drive as described above is not required,each of the second gate insulators (132L) and (132R) is adequate to havecharge storing means, e.g. the film may be of a two-layer structure.

In the construction as described above, when injecting a carrier intothe first one of the second gate insulator 132L, acceleration-electricalpotential is supplied to the first n⁺ region 221 and electricalpotential for attracting a carrier is supplied to the first one of thesecond gate electrode 242L. Meanwhile, an electrical potentialdifference which is larger than the programmed gate threshold voltage issupplied between the first one of the second gate electrode 242R and then⁺ region 222 and the electrical potential difference which is largerthan the gate threshold voltage is supplied between the first gateelectrode 241 and the n⁺ region 222.

Thus, the second carrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R functionsas a carrier path to supply a carrier from the n⁺ region 222 to thecarrier-supplying portion 211 and the carrier is further supplied to thefirst carrier-acceleration-injection portion 212L via thecarrier-supplying portion 211. Out of carriers supplied to the firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion 212L, a carrier moved to theadjacent interface with the n⁺ region 221 without being affected bylattice non-elastic scattering is provided with energy generated byacceleration-electrical potential supplied to the n⁺ region 221 andattracted by the electrical potential for attracting a carrier suppliedto the first one of the second gate electrode 242L, being locallyinjected in a very narrow region of a carrier charge trapping means (agate insulator) getting over the potential barrier.

When injecting a carrier into the second one of the second gateinsulator, acceleration-electrical potential is supplied to the n⁺region 222 and electrical potential for attracting a carrier is fed tothe second one of the second gate electrode. Meanwhile, the electricalpotential difference which is larger than the programmed gate electrodethreshold voltage is supplied between the first one of the second gateelectrode and the n⁺ region 221 and an electrical potential differencewhich is larger than the gate threshold voltage is supplied between thefirst gate electrode 241 and n⁺ region 221.

Thus, the first carrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R functions asa carrier path to supply a carrier from the n⁺ region 221 to thecarrier-supplying portion 211 and the carrier is further supplied to thesecond carrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R via thecarrier-supplying portion 211. Out of carriers supplied to the secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R, a carrier transported tothe adjacent interface with the n⁺ region 222 without being affected bynon-elastic lattice scattering is provided with energy generated by theacceleration-electrical potential supplied to n⁺ region 222 andattracted by the electrical potential for attracting a carrier suppliedto the second one of the second gate electrode 242R, being locallyinjected in a very narrow region of the carrier charge trapping meansgetting over the potential barrier.

According to the above embodiment of the present invention, it ispossible to independently memorize the data stored in each of the secondgate insulators (132L) and (132R) and thus, to store two-bit data in onecell which results in providing a high integration density memory.

However, it is possible to program a memory cell with low voltage ifeach of the second gate insulators (132L) and (132R) is of a three-layerstructure and a carrier injection from a channel forming region to agate insulator is performed by getting over the potential barrier,according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Furthermore, if the carrier is extracted to a gate electrode bycontrolling each carrier tunnel probability of a first layer and a thirdlayer of the second gate insulators (132L) and (132R) in the same manneras described above, both carrier injection and extraction are achievableby feeding to the gate electrode the potential whose polarity is thesame and whose level is different.

FIG. 16 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a eighthembodiment of the present invention. The same symbols as those used inthe previous description represent the same or corresponding portionstherein.

The structure of a memory cell disclosed in the seventh and the eighthembodiment of the present invention is different with respect to arelation between the upper and lower portions of an electrode whereinboth ends of the first gate electrode 241(and a gate insulator or otherinsulator 131 c) are formed to cover the end portion and end surface ofeach of the first one and second one of the second gate electrodes(242L) and (242R).

The same advantage as that in the seventh embodiment of the presentinvention is achieved in this eighth embodiment thereof. Furthermore,provided is a structure suitable for interconnecting the first gateelectrode (241) across the n⁺ regions (221) and (222) according to theeighth embodiment.

FIG. 17 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a ninthembodiment of the present invention. The same symbols as those used inthe previous description represent the same or corresponding portionstherein.

According to the ninth embodiment, a first gate electrode (241) isformed on the first gate insulator (131) on a surface of thecarrier-supplying portion (211). Each of the second gate insulators(132L) and (132R) is formed between each of the carrier-accelerationinjection portions (212L) and (212R) and each of the second gateelectrodes (242L) and (242R), and further, extended to a gap between thefirst gate electrode (241) and each of the second gate electrodes (242L)and (242R).

Each one of the second gate electrodes (242L) and (242R) is formed as apair of side-walls on the second gate insulator (132) on a surface ofeach of the carrier-acceleration injection portions (21L) and (212R). Aword line (L_(W)) is connected to an upper portion of the first gateelectrode (241). The same advantage as that in the seventh and eighthembodiments of the present invention is achieved in this ninthembodiment.

In the ninth embodiment of the present invention, however, the word line(L_(W)) is connected to the first gate electrode (241) after forming asecond gate insulator (132) on the entire upper surface of the firstgate electrode (241) and by having an upper surface thereof exposed. Asshown in FIG. 18, the insulator (132) becomes thin in thickness at anupper portion of the gate electrode (241) and the insulation effect onthe upper portion is deteriorated. In the case of the foregoing, an endsurface of the gate electrode (241) can be oxidized to form an oxidefilm (241 a) or in place of the oxide film (241 a), a side-wallinsulator (not shown in accompanying drawings) as insulating materialmay be formed on a side surface of the gate electrode (241) as a tenthembodiment shown in FIG. 18.

As described above, the high speed and low voltage programming isachievable since it is possible to reduce the capacitance between eachgate if each gate electrode is insulated together with not only gateinsulators but also other insulators.

FIG. 19 shows a section of a nonvolatile memory cell in a eleventhembodiment of the present invention. The same symbols as those used inthe previous description represent the same or corresponding portionstherein.

According to the eleventh embodiment of the present invention, each ofthe second gate insulators (132L) and (132R) is of a three-layerstructure as described above, while the first and second gate electrodesare insulated from each other by the insulator (401) formed on a surfaceof each of the second gate electrodes (242L) and (242R) and a side-wallinsulator (402) formed on a side surface of each of the second gateelectrodes (242L) and (242R). Further, part of the second gate insulator(132) is etched to reform the first gate insulator (103). The sameadvantage as that in the embodiments of the present invention isachievable in this eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an illustration showing a section of a twelfth embodiment ofthe present invention. The same symbols as those used in the previousdescription represent the same or corresponding portions therein. Thisembodiment is featured in that steps SL and SR are disposed on a surfaceof said each carrier-acceleration-injection portion 212L and 212R.

The steps SL and SR are applicable to any of embodiments of the presentinvention, but provided below is the description referring to a twelfthembodiment of the present invention used for describing the illustration20.

The first and second n⁺ regions 221 and 222 have their respective n-typen regions 221 n and 222 n which are shallow and relatively low in aconcentration (1E19-1E20 atm/cm³). The impurity concentration of the nregions 221 n and 222 n is lower than that (1E21-1E20 atm/cm³) of the n⁺regions 221 and 222 and the n regions 221 n and 222 n are disposed tonot only improve the breakdown voltage between thecarrier-acceleration-injection portions 212L and 212R and but alsoinduce a carrier path in the vicinity of a surface of a semiconductor byshallowing the depth of the n regions. The structure as described aboveis applicable to each of the embodiments of the present invention.

The n regions 221 n and 222 n are disposed on a portion not beyond a topof each of steps SL and SR, that is, so that a part of each of the nregions may not be located at the top thereof. A top of each of steps SLand SR is disposed within the distance of a space charge region extendedfrom n regions 221 n and 222 n to the carrier-acceleration-injectionportions 212L and 212R. A step difference of each of the steps SL and SRis preferably within 110 nm and the step difference may be of a slope ora perpendicularity as shown in the illustration.

Next, described below is a function of the step SR (SL) referring toFIG. 21. Carriers supplied from the carrier-supplying portion 211 to anadjacent surface of the carrier-acceleration-injection portion (a whitearrow A) 212R and accelerated in the portion have large energy in thetransport direction. Since the step SR has a vertical component in thetransport direction, part of the carriers (a black arrow B) is directlyinjected from the step SR into the second one of the second gateinsulator 132R without being affected by lattice scattering and trappedin a carrier charge trapping means. This permits the carrier injectionquantity to be more than one order of magnitude larger compared to thecase where there is no step SR on a surface of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R.

Furthermore, the step structure as described above makes a carrier pathmove near to a surface of the step in the carrier-acceleration-injectionportion. Thus, the co-operative effect of the acceleration potentialsupplied to the n⁺ region 222 and the attracting electrical potentialsupplied to the second one of the second gate electrode 242R iseffectively applied to the carriers not injected and left in thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R and makes it possible toprevent the energy of the carriers from being attenuated which resultsin making efficient local injection (a black arrow C) of the carriersinto the second one of the second gate insulator at the adjacentinterface with n⁺ region (n region 222 n).

Contrary to the foregoing, as shown in FIG. 22, if a surface of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R is flat and the electricalpotential for attracting a carrier is small, the carrier is moved fromthe surface of the carrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R to theinside thereof as the carrier approaches from a pinch-off point to then⁺ region 222. Even if the carrier to which energy is supplied in thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion is scattered and injected intothe gate insulator 132R, the carrier injection quantity becomes smallerby one order of magnitude if the distance which is required for thecarrier to reach a surface of the carrier-acceleration-injection portionis, for example, longer than 2.3 times the mean free path.

According to the aforesaid embodiment of the present invention, it ispossible for a carrier to move in a surface of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion 212R even if the electricalpotential for attracting the carrier is small. This enables highefficiency local injection.

A well structure shown in FIG. 20 is called a triple well which is atwo-layer structure comprising n-well 102 and p-well 101. This triplewell structure enables applying either positive or negative bias to thep-well with respect to a semiconductor substrate. Also, the triple wellstructure as described above is applicable to each of the aforesaidembodiments of the present invention.

Next, provided is the description of a nonvolatile memory array soconfigured and structured that a nonvolatile memory cell is aligned inthe form of a matrix. FIG. 23 shows an example of a first configurationfor the nonvolatile memory array and FIG. 24, an example of a secondconfiguration for the nonvolatile memory array.

In FIG. 23, each of n⁺ SD₁ (221) and SD₂ (222) of memory cells adjacentto a direction of a row is commonly connected and in the direction of acolumn is connected by a bit line (L_(B)). A first gate electrode G₁(241) in a column is connected by a word line (L_(W)). A first one of asecond gate electrode G₂₁ (242L) in a column is connected by a firstcontrol line (L_(SL)) and a second one of a second gate electrode G₂₂242R) in a column is connected by a second control line (L_(SR))

In FIG. 24, a first n⁺ region SD₁ (221) in each nonvolatile memory cellin a same row is connected by a bit line (L_(B)). A second n⁺ region SD₂(222) of memory cells adjacent to the direction of a row in a column isconnected by a common line (L_(c)). A first gate electrode G₁ (241) in acolumn is connected by a word line (L_(W)). A first one of a second gateelectrode G₂₁ (242L) in a column is connected by a first control line(L_(SL)) and a second one of a second gate electrode G₂₂ (242R) in acolumn is connected by a second control line (L_(SR)).

FIG. 25 shows electrical potential supplying conditions applicable whenprogramming a cell between a bit line L_(B)(i) and bit line L_(B)(i+1)out of memory cells constituting an array in FIG. 23.

(1) Carrier Injection into the Second One of the Second Gate Insulator132R:

An electrical potential of the bit line L_(B)(i) is predetermined to bean electrical potential V_(bitp) which is higher than the value obtainedby subtracting the threshold voltage V_(th1) of the first gate electrode241 from the electrical potential V_(Ws1) of a selected word lineL_(W)(i).

Next, an electrical potential V_(Ws1) which is higher (at the absolutevalue) than the threshold voltage V_(th1) of the first gate electrode241 is supplied to a selected word line L_(w)(i); anacceleration-electrical potential v_(bits1) which is higher than(V_(B)−2φ_(F3)), to the bit line L_(B)(i+1); the electrical potentialfor attracting a carrier V_(crls1) which is higher than the value(V_(B)−φ_(GB)), to a control line L_(SR)(i); the electrical potentialV_(crlns1) which is higher than the gate threshold voltage V_(th2-1) ofthe first one of the second gate electrode 241L, to the control lineL_(SL)(i); and an electrical potential V_(WDs1) which is lower than thegate threshold voltage of said first gate electrode 241, to unselectedword lines (A reference point covering the electrical potentials asdescribed so far is a channel forming semiconductor region.)

After the electrical potential V_(Ws1) is supplied to the word lineL_(W) (i), the electrical potential of the bit line L_(B)(i) is changedand programming information is selected by a difference value [V_(bit1)higher than (V_(WS1)−V_(th1)) or V_(bit0) lower than (V_(WS1)−V_(th1))].

According to the electrical potential supplying method as describedabove, the same electrical potential is determined to be supplied to abit line L_(B) (i) starting from a bit line L_(B) (i+1) every other lineand more particularly, determined to be V_(bit1) or V_(bit0) from thebit line L_(B)(i) every other line in response to the programminginformation. A description was made to the two-value with respect to theselected electrical potential for the information, but it is possible toprogram multivalue information, if V_(bit0) is used as multilevel(V_(bit0-1), V_(bit0-2) and V_(bit0-3)).

(2) Carrier Injection in the First One of the Second Gate Insulator132L:

An electrical potential of a bit line L_(B)(i+1) is predetermined to bethe electrical potential V_(bitp) which is higher than the valueobtained by subtracting the threshold voltage V_(th1) of the first gateelectrode 241 from the electrical potential V_(WS1) of a selected wordline L_(W) (i).

Next, an electrical potential V_(WS1) which is higher (at the absolutevalue) than the threshold voltage (V_(th1)) of the first gate electrode241 is supplied to the selected word line L_(w); theacceleration-electrical potential V_(bits1) which is higher than(V_(B)−2φ_(F1)), to a bit line L_(B)(i); the electrical potential forattracting a carrier V_(crls1) which is higher than the value(V_(B)−φ_(GB)), to a control line L_(SR)(i); the electrical potentialv_(WDs1) which is higher the gate threshold voltage V_(th2-2) of thesecond one of the second gate electrode 242R, to a control lineL_(SR)(i); and the electrical potential V_(WDs1) which is lower than thegate threshold voltage of said first gate electrode 241, to unselectedword lines (A reference point covering the electrical potentials asdescribed so far is a channel forming semiconductor region.)

After the electrical potential V_(WS1) is supplied to the word lineL_(W), the electrical potential of said bit line L_(B)(i+1) is changedand programming information is selected by the difference value[V_(bit1) higher than (V_(WS1)−V_(th1)) or V_(bit0) lower than(V_(WS1)−V_(th1))].

According to the electrical potential supplying method as describedabove, the same electrical potential is determined to be supplied to abit line L_(B)(i) starting from a bit line L_(B)(i+1) every other lineand more particularly, determined to be V_(bit1) or V_(bit0) from thebit line L_(B)(i+1) every other line in response to the programminginformation. A description was made to the two-value with respect to theselected electrical potential for the information, but it is possible toprogram multivalue information, if V_(bit0) is used as multilevel(V_(bit0-1), V_(bit0.2) and V_(bit0-3)).

As described above, programming according to an embodiment of thepresent invention is to be carried out as per one cell. With respect tothe carrier injection in the adjacent two cells, while injecting acarrier in the second one of the second gate insulator 132R in one cell,it is possible to inject the carrier in the first one of the second gateinsulator 132L in the other cell. However, if the programminginformation is different, it is required for the adjacent cells to carryout the programming two times. In the step as described above, if thestandby electrical potential is supplied to the control lineL_(SL)(L_(SR)), the cell concerned is not programmed.

Next, referring to FIG. 26, described below are electrical potentialsupplying conditions applicable when reading the information stored ineach memory cell of the array.

(1) Reading of the Information Stored in the First One of the SecondGate Insulator 132L:

An electrical potential V_(wr) which is higher than the first gatethreshold voltage V_(th1) is supplied to a selected word line L_(W) (i)and the electrical potential V_(bit1r) in a reverse direction to thechannel forming semiconductor region 110, to a bit line L_(B)(i). Theelectrical potential V_(bit1r) is the one which is lower than the value(V_(B)−2φ_(F2)).

Furthermore, the electrical potential V_(bit11) which is lower(including zero) than the electrical potential V_(bitrr) is supplied toa bit line L_(B) (i); the electrical potential V_(crlrc) which is higher(at the absolute value) than the maximum value V_(th2-2max) of thesecond one of the second gate threshold voltage, to the control lineL_(SR) (i); and the electrical potential between a plurality of theprogrammed first one of the second gate threshold voltage V_(th2-1−i)and V_(th2-1−(i+1)), to a control line L_(SL)(i). It is judged from theaforesaid step that if a current is flowed to the L_(B)(i+1), the firstone of the second gate threshold voltage is less than the valueV_(th2-1−i) and if not, the voltage is more than value V_(th2-1−(i+1)).

(2) Reading of the Information Stored in the Second One of the SecondGate Insulator 132R:

An electrical potential V_(wr) which is higher than the first gatethreshold voltage V_(th1) is supplied to a selected word line L_(W) (i)and the electrical potential V_(bitlr) in a reverse direction to thechannel forming semiconductor region 110, to a bit line L_(B)(i+1). Theelectrical potential V_(bitlr) is the one which is lower than the value(V_(B)−2φ_(F2)).

Furthermore, the electrical potential V_(bitlr) which is lower(including zero) than the electrical potential V_(bitlr) is supplied toa bit line L_(B) (i+1); the electrical potential V_(cllc) which ishigher (at the absolute value) than the maximum value V_(th2-1max). ofthe first one of the second gate threshold voltage, to a control lineL_(SR)(i); and the electrical potential between a plurality of theprogrammed second one of the second gate threshold voltage V_(th2-2−i)and V_(th2-2−(i+1)), to a control line L_(SR)(i). It is judged from theaforesaid step that if a current is flowed to the L_(B)(i), the secondone of the second gate threshold voltage is less than the valueV_(th2-2−i) and if not, the voltage is more than the valueV_(th2-2−(i+1)).

Current detection may be conducted by detecting the current itself ordetecting electrical potential change in the bit line L_(B) charged tothe specified electrical potential within a predetermined time. Also,the V_(th) level less than V_(t2-l−i) and V_(th2-2−i) can be judgeddepending on the value of a current to be detected.

Next, described is a manufacturing method referring to FIGS. 27-34showing sections of a memory array manufactured in an arrayconfiguration of the memory cell disclosed in a twelfth embodiment ofthe present invention with respect to FIG. 20.

As shown in FIG. 27, n-well 102 and p-well 101 are formed in a surfaceof p type semiconductor substrate 10 and a surface of the p-well 101 isoxidized to form a thermal oxide film with thickness of 5 nm. A surfacelayer 201 is then formed by introducing by ion implantation in a surfaceof the p-well impurity (boron according to the twelfth embodiment of thepresent invention) to be an impurity for the carrier-supplying portionin a subsequent step.

Next, the thermal oxide film is removed by wet etching and a thermaloxide film 130 with thickness of 7 nm is again formed on a surface ofthe p-well 101 by pyrogenic oxidization at 800° C. A phosphorous-dopedpolysilicon thin film 300 with thickness of 200 nm is further formed anda silicon nitride film 301 with thickness of 100 nm is then formed. Inaddition, a photoresist is coated on a surface of a substrate and ispatterned to a shape of the first gate electrode 241, resulting aphotoresist mask 401.

Next, the silicon nitride film 301 and polysilicon thin film 300 areetched using the photoresist 401 as a mask as shown in FIG. 28. Apolysilicon film 300 is thus fabricated to the shape of the firstelectrode 241.

After the patterned polysilicon film is cleaned a thermal oxide film 241a with thickness of 30 nm is grown on sidewalls of the first gateelectrode (polysilicon) 241 by pyrogenic oxidization at 800° C. Asilicon nitride film 302 is formed evenly over the surfaces to be 10 nmthick and further, a polysilicon layer 303 is formed uniformly to be 80nm in film thickness.

Next, as shown in FIG. 29, a horizontal portion of the polysilicon 303is etched by a so-called reactive ion etching (RIE) and a sidewall 303SWis left close to a side surface of the first gate electrode 241.Further, the silicon nitride film 302 is etched using the polysiliconsidewall 303SW as a mask. In the process as described above, the siliconnitride film 301 on a surface of the first gate electrode is leftthereon since the silicon nitride film 301 is thicker than the siliconnitride film 302.

Then, as shown in FIG. 30, the polysilicon side wall 303 SW close to aside surface of the first gate electrode 241 is removed by an isotropicetching method and the silicon oxide film 130 is etched using as a maskthe silicon nitride film 302 left beneath the now removed polysiliconsidewall and side surface of the polysilicon.

Next, a surface of the p-well is etched to the depth of 50 nm using asmasks the silicon nitride film 302 and the silicon oxide film left as aresult of the process as described above. Side surfaces of an etchedtrench 101T become steps SL and SR to be formed in each surface ofcarrier-acceleration-injection portions 212L and 212R in the subsequentprocess. A bottom surface of the etched trench 101T becomes n⁺ regions221 and 222 in its greater parts.

However, when etching a trench 101 T using an isotropical etchingtechnology, side etching is also carried out (Provided hereinafter belowis a description of utilizing this side etching with reference to FIG.31.). After a 5 nm thick thermal oxide film is grown, arsenic formingthe regions 221 n and 222 n is injected by low energy (less than 10 KeV)ion implantation in advance using as masks the silicon oxide film 130and silicon nitride film 302. This ensures self-alignment of the stepsSL and SR with n⁺ regions 221 and 222 since the positioning is carriedout using the same mask. In the process as described above, the arsenicimplantation for the n regions 221 n and 222 n is not required whichwill be described hereinafter below relating to FIG. 32.

Next, as shown in FIG. 31, a thermal oxide film (not shown in a figure)with thickness of 5 nm is formed in the etched trench 101T and then, thesilicon nitride film 302, thermal oxide film 130 and the thermal oxidefilm in the etched trench are etched in their order and a well surfacebetween the first electrodes is exposed.

Furthermore, a silicon oxide film 132 a to be a first layer for each ofthe second gate insulators 132L and 132R is formed to be 3.5-4 nm thickby a pyrogenic oxidization method at 800° C. Then, a silicon nitridefilm 132 b to be a second layer is formed to be 4 nm thick by a CVDmethod and a silicon oxide film 132 c to be a third layer is formed tobe 3-3.5 nm thick by a CVD method. Thereafter, the silicon oxide film132 b is oxidized by a pyrogenic oxidization method at 800° C. Theprocess as described above completes formation of a second gateinsulator 132 which is of a three-layer structure incorporating acarrier charge trapping means. A first gate insulator 131 is alreadyformed with self-alignment to the first gate electrode 241.

Next, as shown in FIG. 32, a polysilicon film (not shown in the figure)as a protective film for the second gate insulator 132 is formeduniformly to be 10 nm film thick. Implanted through gate insulators byan ion implantation method is a first conductivity type impurity (boronaccording to the embodiment of the present invention) to be impurity inthe carrier-acceleration-injection portions 212L and 212R in asubsequent process. The impurity in the carrier-acceleration-injectionportions 212L and 212R is implanted to form thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion self-aligned to the first gateelectrode 241 by using itself as a mask.

The phenomenon as described above results in that when forming a firstone of a second gate electrode 242L and second one of the second gateelectrode 242R adjacent to a side wall of a first gate electrode 241which is described hereinafter below relating to FIG. 32, the impurity202 in the carrier-acceleration-injection portion is self-aligned to thefirst one of the second gate electrode 242L and second one of the secondgate electrode 242R.

Next, as shown in FIG. 32, a phosphorous doped polysilicon is formedevenly to be 100 nm thick (not shown in a figure) and a horizontalportion thereof is etched by an anisotropical RIE method, polysiliconside walls 242L and 242R being left adjacent to a side surface of thefirst gate electrode 241. The phosphorous doped side wall becomes thefirst one of the second gate electrode 242L and second one of the secondgate electrode 242R. In the process as described above, a protectivepolysilicon is also etched as referred to in FIG. 31. Further, an oxidefilm 242 a with film thickness of 7 nm is formed on a silicon side wallsurface via a pyrogenic oxidization method at 800° C.

Next, implanted by an ion implantation method in a surface of the etchedtrench is n region impurity (arsenic according to the twelfth embodimentof the present invention) using as masks polysilicon sidewalls 242L and242R to form n regions 221 n and 222 n. This enables automaticadjustment of each position of an end portion of the n region and stepsSL and SR of carrier-acceleration-injection portion. Then, a siliconnitride film (not shown in the figure) is formed evenly to have a 30 nmfilm thickness by a CVD method and a horizontal portion thereof isetched by an anisotropic RIE method, a sidewall 242 b of a siliconnitride film being left at each side of polysilicons 242L and 242R.

Furthermore, implanted in a surface of the etched trench by an ionimplantation method using the silicon nitride film as a mask is impurity(arsenic according to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention)to form the n⁺ regions 222 and 221 whose dose is larger by one to twoorders of magnitude than that of the impurity of the n regions 221 n and222 n. Thereafter, the ion-implanted impurity is heat-treated andactivated.

Next, as shown in FIG. 33, the oxide film on the polysilicon sidewall isetched and the three-layer film 132 left between silicon nitride films242 b is etched away. Further, after titanium or cobalt is evaporated onan entire surface, the evaporated titanium or cobalt film isheat-treated. The portions which are exposed to the outside by etching,i.e. an upper surface of the polysilicon side wall and highconcentration portions of n⁺ regions 222/221 s, are silicided. Any metalwhich has not yet been reacted is etched to be removed.

The low resistance n⁺ regions 222/221 and the first one and second oneof the second gate electrode 242L, 242R are formed through the processas described above and low resistance bit lines, common lines andcontrol lines can be formed by continuously forming n⁺ regions andelectrodes in other cells.

Next, as shown in FIG. 34, a silicon oxide film 251 is formed by a CVDmethod to make film thicker than that of the first gate electrode 241and left only between the first gate electrodes. Further, the siliconnitride film 301 on an exposed upper surface of the first gate electrodeis selectively etched (to the silicon oxide film) and the first gateelectrode is exposed to form by a CVD method phosphorous dopedpolysilicon 252 to be 100 nm thick. In addition, tungsten silicide 252 sis formed by a CVD method on the phosphorous doped polysilicon 252 to be50 nm thick and the first gate electrodes 241 of a plurality of cellsare connected each other. A two-layer film comprising said tungstensilicide 252S and polysilicon 252 is fabricated fitted to a plane shapeof the word line L_(w) based on the well known lithography technology.

Furthermore, a bit line, a common line, a word line and control line areconnected to peripheral circuits using multilayer interconnectiontechnology. To connect a control line to a peripheral circuit, it isrequired to form a connection-pad shaped photoresist at a stage prior tothe anisotropic polysilicon etching.

Provided below are advantages according to the present invention.

(1) When injecting a carrier in a gate insulator with a carrier chargetrapping means from a channel forming semiconductor region, localcarrier injection is possible getting over a potential barrier from aportion (the adjacent interface with the second n⁺ region 122 out ofcarrier-acceleration-injection portions) of the channel formingsemiconductor region. This results in not only enabling high efficiencyinjection and low voltage and high speed programming but also providinga high integration density memory cell.

(2) Two gate electrodes are independently formed over a channel formingsemiconductor region and an electrical potential for attracting acarrier is supplied to a gate electrode formed in a region in which thecarrier is locally injected. This enables high efficiency injection inthe gate insulator owing to the interaction between theacceleration-electrical potential to be supplied to the n⁺ region 122and the electrical potential for attracting a carrier even if the numberof the carriers to be supplied from the first n⁺ region 121 to a channelforming semiconductor region is reduced.

(3) Second gate electrodes and insulators thereof are disposed on bothsides of a first gate electrode and carrier supply and attraction areindependently conducted. Furthermore, the carrier within the channelforming region can be independently injected in each of the secondinsulators. This results in not only enabling a memory cell to storetwo-bit data therein but also reducing programming current as well as inproviding a high integration density memory.

(4) The carrier injection and extraction thereof to and from the secondgate insulator can be conducted only by applying to the second gateelectrode an electrical potential whose polarity is the same both forthe injection and extraction. This simplifies circuit configuration forthe carrier injection and extraction.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and detailes maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of programming a nonvolatile memory cellwherein first and second impurity regions of opposite conductivity typeare formed in a main surface of a substrate and separated therebetweenby a channel forming semiconductor region of one conductivity type insaid main surface of said substrate and a gate electrode is formed on agate insulator on said channel forming semiconductor region, carriersbeing injected and stored in a carrier trapping means of said gateinsulator further comprising: provided is an acceleration-electricalpotential supplying means to selectively supply anacceleration-electrical potential to one out of the first and secondimpurity regions at one side; said channel forming semiconductor regionincludes a carrier-supplying portion and acarrier-acceleration-injection portion disposed along a carriertransport direction said carrier-supplying portion supplies to saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion carriers supplied by another oneout of said first and second impurity regions at another side; saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion makes local injection of carrierssupplied from said carrier-supplying portion into said gate insulator inthe vicinity of the adjacent said one out of said first and secondimpurity regions at one side to which said accelerated electricalpotential is supplied; said carrier-acceleration-injection portioncomprises a first carrier-acceleration-injection portion formed adjacentto said first impurity region and a secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion adjacent to said second impurityregion wherein said carrier-supplying portion is disposed between saidfirst carrier-acceleration-injection portion and said secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; said gate insulator is comprisedof a first gate insulator disposed on said carrier-supplying portion andtwo second gate insulators disposed on said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion and said secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion, respectively wherein each saidgate insulator is of a three-layer structure including: first layercoming in contact with said channel forming semiconductor region; thirdlayer in contact with said gate electrode; and second layer between saidfirst layer and said third layer wherein a carrier tunnel probability ofsaid third layer is higher than a carrier tunnel probability of saidfirst layer; said carrier trapping means is in said second gateinsulators; said acceleration-electrical supplying means supplies anacceleration-electrical potential to said second impurity region wheninjecting carriers from said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion into a second one of said second gate insulators and to saidfirst impurity region when injecting carriers from said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion into a first one of said secondgate insulators; and said gate electrode is comprised of a first gateelectrode and two second gate electrodes wherein said first gateelectrode, a first one of said second gate electrodes and a second oneof said second gate electrodes are insulated from each other, whereinsaid first gate electrode is disposed above said carrier-supplyingportion through said first gate insulator and said first one of saidsecond gate electrodes is disposed above said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion through said first one of saidsecond gate insulators, and wherein said second one of said second gateelectrodes is disposed above said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion through said second one of said second gate insulators; whereinsaid programming comprises steps of: supplying to said first gateelectrode electrical potential for inducing a channel which is largerthan a gate threshold voltage of said corresponding gate; predeterminingelectrical potential of said first impurity region to a first electricalpotential which is smaller than said acceleration-electrical potentialand which is larger than a value obtained by deducting said thresholdvoltage from said electrical potential for inducing a channel; andchanging electrical potential of said first impurity region to saidfirst electrical potential or a second electrical potential less thansaid value obtained by deducting said gate threshold voltage from saidelectrical potential for inducing a channel to select programminginformation.
 2. A method of programming the nonvolatile memory cellaccording to claim 1 wherein said electrical potential for attracting acarrier is more than V_(B)−φ_(GB) (φ_(GB): a work function differencebetween a gate electrode and carrier-acceleration-injection portion). 3.A method of programming the nonvolatile memory cell according to claim 1wherein carriers are supplied from one of said impurity regions to saidcarrier-supplying portion by forward-biasing said one of said impurityregions.
 4. A method of programming the nonvolatile memory cellaccording to claim 1 wherein a carrier is supplied from one of saidimpurity regions to said carrier-supplying portion by inducing a channelin a surface of said carrier-supplying portion.
 5. A method ofprogramming the nonvolatile memory cell according to claim 1 whereinsaid second electrical potential is selected out of a plurality oflevels of electrical potential.
 6. A method of programming a nonvolatilememory cell wherein first and second impurity regions of oppositeconductivity type are formed in a main surface of a substrate andseparated therebetween by a channel forming semiconductor region of oneconductivity type in said main surface of said substrate and a gateelectrode is formed on a gate insulator on said channel formingsemiconductor region, carriers being injected and stored in a carriertrapping means of said gate insulator further comprising: provided is anacceleration-electrical potential supplying means to selectively supplyan acceleration-electrical potential to one out of the first and secondimpurity regions at one side; said channel forming semiconductor regionincludes a carrier-supplying portion and acarrier-acceleration-injection portion disposed along a carriertransport direction said carrier-supplying portion supplies to saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion carriers supplied by another oneout of said first and second impurity regions at another side; saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion makes local injection of carrierssupplied from said carrier-supplying portion into said gate insulator inthe vicinity of the adjacent said one out of said first and secondimpurity regions at one side to which said accelerated electricalpotential is supplied; said carrier-acceleration-injection portioncomprises a first carrier-acceleration-injection portion formed adjacentto said first impurity region and a secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion adjacent to said second impurityregion wherein said carrier-supplying portion is disposed between saidfirst carrier-acceleration-injection portion and said secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; said gate insulator is comprisedof a first gate insulator disposed on said carrier-supplying portion andtwo second sate insulators disposed on said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion and said secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion, respectively; said carriertrapping means is in said second gate insulators; saidacceleration-electrical supplying means supplies anacceleration-electrical potential to said second impurity region wheninjecting carriers from said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion into a second one of said second gate insulators and to saidfirst impurity region when injecting carriers from said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion into a first one of said secondgate insulators; and said gate electrode is comprised of a first gateelectrode and two second gate electrodes wherein said first gateelectrode, a first one of said second gate electrodes and a second oneof said second sate electrodes are insulated from each other, whereinsaid first sate electrode is disposed above said carrier-supplyingportion through said first gate insulator and said first one of saidsecond gate electrodes is disposed above said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion through said first one of saidsecond gate insulators, and wherein said second one of said second gateelectrodes is disposed above said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion through said second one of said second gate insulators; whereincarrier injection from said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion into said second one of said second gate insulators comprises: aprocess to supply to said second impurity region anacceleration-electrical potential more than V_(B)−2φ_(F2) (φ_(F2): aFermi-level in the carrier-acceleration-injection-portion) so thatenergy capable of getting over a potential barrier VB to be formed at aninterface with said second carrier-acceleration-injection portion andsaid second one of said second gate insulators may be supplied to thecarrier concerned; a process to supply an electrical potential forattracting carriers to said second one of said second gate electrodes; aprocess to supply carriers from said first impurity region to saidcarrier-supplying portion through said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; and a process to move to saidsecond carrier acceleration-injection-portion carriers supplied to saidcarrier-supplying portion and wherein carrier injection from said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion into said first one of saidsecond gate insulators comprises: a process to supply to said firstimpurity region an acceleration-electrical potential more thanV_(B)−2φ_(F2) so that energy capable of overcoming an electricalpotential barrier V_(B) to be formed at an interface with said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion and said first one of said secondgate insulators may be supplied to said carrier concerned; a process tosupply an electrical potential for attracting a carrier to said firstone of said second gate electrodes; a process to supply carriers fromsaid second impurity region to said carrier-supplying portion throughsaid second carrier-acceleration-injection portion; and a process tomove to said first carrier-acceleration-injection portion carrierssupplied to said carrier-supplying portion.
 7. A method of programmingthe nonvolatile memory cell according to claim 6 wherein carrierinjection from said second carrier-acceleration-injection portion tosaid second one of said second gate insulators comprises steps of:supplying to said first one of said second gate electrodes an electricalpotential which is larger than a gate threshold voltage; supplying tosaid first gate electrode an electrical potential for inducing a channelwhich is larger than said gate threshold voltage; predeterminingelectrical potential of said first impurity region to a first electricalpotential which is smaller than said acceleration-electrical potentialand which is larger than a value obtained by deducting said thresholdvoltage from said electrical potential for inducing a channel; andchanging electrical potential of said first impurity region to saidfirst electrical potential or a second electrical potential less thansaid value which is obtained by deducting said gate threshold voltagefrom said electric potential for inducing a channel to selectprogramming information and wherein carrier injection from a firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion into said first one of saidsecond gate insulators comprises steps of: supplying to said second oneof said second gate electrodes an electrical potential which is largerthan said gate threshold voltage; supplying to said first gate electrodean electrical potential for inducing a channel which is larger than saidgate threshold voltage; predetermining an electrical potential of saidsecond impurity region to a first electrical potential which is smallerthan said acceleration-electrical potential and which is larger thansaid value obtained by deducting said threshold voltage from saidelectrical potential for inducing a channel; and changing electricalpotential of said second impurity region to said first electricalpotential or a second electrical potential less than said value obtainedby deducting the gate threshold voltage from said electrical potentialfor inducing a channel to select programming information.
 8. A method ofprogramming the nonvolatile memory cell according to claim 6 whereinsaid electrical potential for attracting a carrier is more thanV_(B)−φ_(GB) (φ_(GB): a work function difference between a gateelectrode and carrier-acceleration-injection portion).
 9. A method ofprogramming the nonvolatile memory cell according to claim 6 whereincarriers are supplied from one of said impurity regions to saidcarrier-supplying portion by forward-biasing said one of said impurityregions.
 10. A method of programming the nonvolatile memory cellaccording to claim 6 wherein a carrier is supplied from one of saidimpurity regions to said carrier-supplying portion by inducing a channelin a surface of said carrier-supplying portion.
 11. A method ofprogramming the nonvolatile memory cell according to claim 7 whereinsaid second electrical potential is selected out of a plurality oflevels of electrical potential.
 12. A method of reading storedinformation from one of a pair of second gate insulators in anonvolatile memory cell wherein first and second impurity regions ofopposite conductivity type are formed in a main surface of a substrateand separated therebetween by a channel forming semiconductor region ofone conductivity type in said main surface of said substrate and a gateelectrode is formed on a gate insulator on said channel formingsemiconductor region, carriers being injected and stored in a carriertrapping means of said gate insulator further comprising: provided is anacceleration-electrical potential supplying means to selectively supplyan acceleration-electrical potential to one out of the first and secondimpurity regions at one side; said channel forming semiconductor regionincludes a carrier-supplying portion and acarrier-acceleration-injection portion disposed along a carriertransport direction said carrier-supplying portion supplies to saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion carriers supplied by another oneout of said first and second impurity regions at another side; saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion makes local injection of carrierssupplied from said carrier-supplying portion into said gate insulator inthe vicinity of the adjacent said one out of said first and secondimpurity regions at one side to which said accelerated electricalpotential is supplied; said carrier-acceleration-injection portioncomprises a first carrier-acceleration-injection portion formed adjacentto said first impurity region and a secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion adjacent to said second impurityregion wherein said carrier-supplying portion is disposed between saidfirst carrier-acceleration-injection portion and said secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; said gate insulator is comprisedof a first gate insulator disposed on said carrier-supplying portion andtwo second gate insulators disposed on said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion and said secondcarrier-acceleration-injection portion, respectively; said carriertrapping means is in said second gate insulators; saidacceleration-electrical supplying means supplies anacceleration-electrical potential to said second impurity region wheninjecting carriers from said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion into a second one of said second gate insulators and to saidfirst impurity region when injecting carriers from said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion into a first one of said secondgate insulators; and said gate electrode is comprised of a first gateelectrode and two second gate electrodes wherein said first gateelectrode, a first one of said second gate electrodes and a second oneof said second gate electrodes are insulated from each other, whereinsaid first gate electrode is disposed above said carrier-supplyingportion through said first gate insulator and said first one of saidsecond gate electrodes is disposed above said firstcarrier-acceleration-injection portion through said first one of saidsecond gate insulators, and wherein said second one of said second gateelectrodes is disposed above said second carrier-acceleration-injectionportion through said second one of said second gate insulators; whereina reverse-biasing electrical potential is supplied to one impurityregion out of said first and second impurity regions being further fromsaid one of said pair of second gate insulators from which informationis to be read than said other impurity region wherein saidreverse-biasing electrical potential is smaller than V_(B)−2φ_(F2)(V_(B): potential barrier formed at the interface with the second gateinsulator and carrier-acceleration-injection portion; (φ_(F2): aFermi-level of the carrier-acceleration-injection portion) and is largerthan said electrical potential in the other one out of said first andsecond impurity regions; an electrical potential which is larger than agate threshold voltage of said first gate electrode is supplied to saidfirst gate electrode; and an electrical potential which is larger than amaximum value of a plurality of programmed gate threshold voltages ofsaid first and second one of said second gate electrode is supplied toeach of said first and second one of said second gate electrode todetect the electrical potential of said other impurity region.
 13. Amethod of programming a nonvolatile memory cell wherein said nonvolatilememory cell comprises: first and second impurity regions of oppositeconductivity type formed in a main surface of a substrate and separatedtherebetween by a channel forming semiconductor region of oneconductivity type in said main surface of said substrate wherein acarrier-supplying portion is disposed adjacent to said first impurityregion and a carrier-acceleration-injection portion is disposed adjacentto said second impurity region; and a gate electrode formed on a gateinsulator on said channel forming semiconductor region wherein said gateelectrode integrally covers said carrier-supplying portion and saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; wherein said method ofprogramming said cell comprises the steps of: supplying to said secondimpurity region acceleration-electrical potential more thanV_(B)−2φ_(F2) (φ_(F2): a Fermi-level in thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion) so that energy capable ofgetting over a potential barrier V_(B) to be formed at an interface withsaid carrier-acceleration-injection portion and said gate insulatorthereover may be supplied to said carrier concerned; supplying carriersfrom said first impurity region to said carrier-supplying portion insaid channel forming semiconductor region; and moving to saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion carriers which are supplied tosaid carrier-supplying portion whereby carriers are injected and storedin a carrier trapping means of said gate insulator.
 14. A method ofreading stored information in a nonvolatile memory cell wherein saidnonvolatile memory cell comprises: first and second impurity regions ofopposite conductivity type formed in a main surface of a substrate andseparated therebetween by a channel forming semiconductor region of oneconductivity type in said main surface of said substrate wherein acarrier-supplying portion is disposed adjacent to said first impurityregion and a carrier-acceleration-injection portion is disposed adjacentto said second impurity region; and a gate electrode formed on a gateinsulator on said channel forming semiconductor region wherein said gateelectrode integrally covers said carrier-supplying portion and saidcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; wherein said method of readingstored information in said cell comprises the steps of: supplying tosaid first impurity region reverse-biasing electrical potential which issmaller than V_(B)−2φ_(F2) (V_(B): electrical potential barrier formedat the interface with the gate insulator andcarrier-acceleration-injection portion; φ_(F2): Fermi-level of thecarrier-acceleration-injection portion) and which is larger than saidelectrical potential in said second impurity region, and supplying tosaid gate electrode to detect said electrical potential of said firstimpurity region an electrical potential which is larger than a maximumvalue of a plurality of programmed gate threshold voltages.